The presumptive Democratic challenger to U.S. Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) has spoken out in opposition to Denham's “No” vote on a compromise spending plan which reopened the government.
The Senate-drafted compromise, which passed the House of Representatives Wednesday evening and put an end to a 16-day government shutdown, was supported by 87 House Republicans. A 144-member majority of House Republicans, including Denham, were opposed.
Staffers for Micheal Eggman, a Turlock farmer and beekeeper, say Denham's “no” vote shows that he would “would rather put the United States’ world standing at risk and create massive uncertainty in these same financial markets, to prove a political point.”
“Jeff Denham has taken one of the most irresponsible and reckless votes in American history,” Eggman said. “As a farmer, I see the struggles of many working families in the Central Valley and these Washington games just show that politicians like Jeff Denham would rather manufacture a crisis, cost us billions of dollars and put our entire economic standing at risk just to score political points.”
Denham is up for reelection in 2014. A disputed poll shows that Denham may be vulnerable to losing his seat in the California 10th District, one of the few competitive districts left following redistricting. Television advertisements attacking Denham's role in the shutdown have already begun airing.
At the same time, a conservative group has endorsed Denham's vote, saying his disciplined stand against runaway spending and the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare, should be lauded.
“Rep. Denham stood against allowing funding for Obamacare to take effect and deserves the thanks of the American people,” said Americans for Limited Government President Nathan Mehrens. “This was a tough battle and to sustain it was always going to require a united House majority to exercise the constitutional power over the purse and a willingness to do whatever it took to stop Obamacare.”
Americans for Limited Government, a politically conservative lobbying group and advocacy organization, say that though Denham may appear vulnerable now, the polls are likely to shift once the Affordable Care Act takes effect.
“When everyone’s health premiums begin skyrocketing at year’s end, when folks are forced off their employer plans, and when the federal budget is broken because of the unsustainable entitlement created by the health care law, Denham will be blameless,” Mehrens said. “When it counted, Denham fought for the American people.”
